Steering wheel and method of forming same



Dec. 24, 1929. SMITH 1,740,750

STEERING WHEEL AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed March 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 24, 1929. SMITH STEERING WHEEL AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W R f .0 7 a 5 3 3 3 Z 3 L a FEW I INYENTOR w fi y Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE GRANT E. SMITH, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, YORK, ASSIGNOR TO POUVAILSMITH COR- PORATION, OEPOUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW'YORK STEERING WHEEL AND METHOD OF FOBMIN G SAME Application filed March 4, 1924. Serial No. 696,807.

The present invention relates to steering wheels of wood or other suitable material and to the manufacture thereof; the principal object bein to provide a strong, durable, steering whee made almost entirely of wood or the like and to provide an economical and expeditious method of manufacturing the same. Inasmuch as the invention has been developed in connection with the manufacture of wooden steering wheels for automobiles, such an embodiment of the invention has been selected for illustration and description herein.

v The manufacture of wooden steering wheels by the methods commonly employed involves usually either the use of a metal spider orthe use of wooden spokes and a metal hub structure of substantial size for the reason that thespider made entirely of wood in accordance with the known methods of making similar articles would not have sufiicient strength. Furthermore, the manufacture of steering wheels entirely ofiwood in accordance with known methods would involve considerable expense in the forming of the article and in the finishing of the same to accord the desired surface.

The present invention provides a novel method of manufacture whereby a steering wheel may be made entirely, or substantially an entirely. of wood or other suitable moldable material which is so treated during the-process of manufacture that the desired strength is obtained without making any part of the wheel of undue size. Furthermore, the meth- 0d provided can be operated economically and expeditiously and relatively inexpensive raw materials can be used. lVheels made in accordance with the invention will not warp or shrink and are hard, durable and'weatherproof.

The nature and objects of the invention will be better understood from a description of an illustrative embodiment thereof.

In the drawings forming .a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a perspective view indicating the form and relative arrangement of the separate parts which form the hub of a steering wheel embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the finished wheel.

Figure 3 is across sectional view showing the parts of the steering wheel assembled in dies ready to be compressed to form the finished structure. i

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the wheel compressed and molded to final form. I

Figure 5 is a perspective view partly in section illustrating a suitable joint between the rim and a spoke before compression and indicating one arrangement of the section of a sectional rim blank. 7

Figure 6 is a plain view of a partially formed sheet metal blank ready for bending to form a hub sleeve.

The steering wheel shown comprises a rim 5 secured to the arms or spokes 6, 7, 8, 9, the rim and spokes being molded together and a hub structure comprising a bushing or sleeve 10 about which the inner ends of the spokes are molded. Preferably annular members 11, 12 also form a part of the hub structure.

The preferred method of making the wheel shown involves applying a suitable coating to previousfy prepared preliminarily shaped Wood sections and molding the assembled sections to form the finished wheel. Any suitable Wood, such for example, as maple, birch, ash, gum, etc., may be used in the construction of the wheel. The same or different woods may be used for the rim and spoke members. All edges of the blank should be rounded so that no sharp corners are presented to the mold, but the shape of the'blank sections may vary considerably 'from the final shape desired.

- The preliminary treatment of the blank to form the same and to prepare it for the moldmg operation may vary considerably. As shown, the rim sections 15 are formed from straight pieces of wood by steaming and bending, the separate pieces being assembled to form a complete rim. The spokes, which in the finished structure constitute a spider, are separate pieces the inner ends of which are associated to form a central hub structure for connection to a steering post. As

shown, the inner end of each spoke is s otted transversely as indicated in- Fig. 3 and -in perspective in Figure 1' to provide slots 17 and tenons or tongues 18, the tongues lying in planes parallel to the plane of the rim and forming an angle with the axes of the spokes, and the thickness of the tenons being equal to the width of the slots and the length of i tions are coated with a phenolic condensation the tenons'being such that the tenons of two opposite spokes substantially meet at the center of the wheel. By this arrangement in a four spoke wheel as shown the tenons of two opposite spokes fit within and substantially meet at the middle of the slots of the two other spokes, the tenonsof which other spokes also meet at the center of the slots of the first spokes. A solid hub structure is i and holes 26 thereof as well as around the thus formed.

By making all of the spokes duplicates and the tenons of a thickness equal to the depth of the slots the spokes will fit together with sufficient accuracy to afford a good finished wheel without the necessity of providing two different sets of spokes;

' Preferably the construction is such that the hub is'thicker than the spokes. In order to obtain [this form, and to make unnecessary the provision of spokes having thickened inner ends the suitably formed upper annular member lland the lower annular member 12 may be provided both of which are connected to and form a part of the finished hub structure. 1

In order to make provision for securing the steering wheel to the steering post the metal sleeve or bushing 10 is secured in the center of the hub structure. This bushing is preferably preformed to fit accurately the steering post to which the wheel is to be applied. It may be provided with suitable keyways 20, 21. I

The bushing may be of any desired form and construction. A suitable bushingis illus-' trated in the drawings.

The construction thereof is best shown in Figure-6 which shows a partially formed blank. The bushingshown is formed of a strip of sheet metal 22 bent to form the finished bushing. Prefer.-

- ably provision is made to form an interlock between the bushing and hub structure to assure rigidity of the finished structure and to prevent longitudinal movement of the bushing within the hub structure when strain is applied thereto. As shown in Figure 6, the sheet metal strip is cut to form slots 23, the material of the bushing being struck outwardly to form projecting ribs 24 which may be made of any suitable length and breadth.

The strip is shown as scored at 25 to facilitate formation of the keyw'ays 20 and 21. Additional holes. such as 26 may also be formed n the bushing, if desired, to permit a fiow-.

ing of the wood of the hub structure thereinto to form furtherinterlock between the bushing and the hub structure in the finished wheel.

A. bushing of the type is in some respects to be preferred to a bushing having a flange or flanges engaging one or both ends of the hub but it will be understood that such flanges may be applied without substantial modification of the-method described.

Toform the finished wheel the blank secproduct or with any suitable adhesive and ribs 24 in a manner to provide a secure and firm interlock. The mold is preferably provided with means for preventing the wood from flowing over the ends of the bushing during the compressing and molding operation. As shown the bushing 10 is originally made accurately to the finished length desired. The lower mold is provided with an upstanding stud or mandrel 35 arranged to receive the bushing to hold it inaccurate position and to prevent collapse thereof under the extreme pressure applied in'the molding of the wheel, the upper mold is provided with 'a downwardly extending plunger having an outer configuration corresponding in size and .is placed in a press betweenheated pressure heads 37, 38. After the blank has been arranged in the mold 'I preferto add additionalladhesive, for example, in the form of dry powder, at the joints in order tofill all crevices and to make a stronger and better joint. The pressure heads of the press are then brought against the mold parts to press the same against the blank with a light pressure. The blank is allowed to absorb heat from the mold and the mold to absorb heat from the pressure heads for a predetermined time, for example, for five minutes, until the blank becomes heated, and then the extreme pressure is applied to close the mold and compress the blank to form the finished wheel as shown in Figure 4. When the mold is closed and the blank fully compressed it is cooled while still maintaining the pressure or a part of the pressure. During the compressing and molding operation the wood will flow to conform to the shape of the mold and to the shape of the bushing 10, that is to sav,'the fibers of the wood will move relatively and adjust themselves to the configuration of the mold surface thereof and simultaneously cured to form a hard, wear-resisting surface. The coating also acts as a lubricant between the mold and blank.

The pressure employed may range, for example, from 500 to 5,000 pounds'per square inch of the blank to be compressed, depending upon the amount of compression desired, the material compressed, the size ofthe desired resultant article, and other particular features characteristic of the material, finishor mold. The temperature at which the operation is performed mayvary considerably. Successful results have been obtained in com pressing wood block blanks at temperatures which approach 300 F. I find it convenient to heat the'pressure heads by steam under a pressure of about 85 pounds per square inch circulating in suitable passages 40 therein. The.molds may be cooled when the'pressing operation is finished by circulating Water in these same passages. The preliminary heating of the molds prior to inserting the blank may be accomplished in any suitable way. I find it convenient ,to provide steam tables heated by steam at 85 pounds pressure on which the'niolds are laid until they become heated before the blank is inserted.

The invention provides an exceptionally strong steeringwheel by reason of the compressing and molding, which increases the density of the wood and increase the coordination of the fibres. By the term fabricated struc- V ture is implied one built of several parts connected with one another to form the complete structure. The operation of compressing the wood and combining the phenolic condensation product or other equivalent material with the surface thereof produces an article which will not appreciably warp or shrink but molds to a permanent set condition and has a low coetficient of expansion.

The foregoing description is illustrative merely. It is not intended as defining the limits of the invention and should not be construed in a restrictive sense.

Claims: 4

1. A dished wheel comprising a rim, a plurality of spokes having at their inner ends a plurality of tenons lying in planes parallel to the plane of the rim and interengaged to form a hub, and a metal reinforcing bushing secured centrally in the hub so formed by permanent distortion of the material of the interengaged spokes.

2. A Wheel comprising a rim, a plurality of spokes having at their inner ends transverse slots forming a plurality of tenons lying in planes parallel to the plane of the rim and arranged tointerengage to form a hub, and a metal bushing interlocked in the hub so formed.

3. A wheel comprising a rim and a plurality of spokes transversely slotted at their inner ends in planes parallel to the plane of the rim to form tenons, the spokes being assembled 'with the tenons of alternate spokes insertedin and substantially meeting in the slots of theintermediate spoke to a form a hub structure.

' 4. A wheel comprising a rim and a plurality of spokes transversely slotted at their inner ends in planes parallel to the plane of the rim to form tenons, the spokes being assembled with 'the tenons of alternate spokes inserted in and substantiallymeeting in the slots of the intermediate spoke to form a hub structure, and a metal bushing secured in the center of said hub structure and interlocked therewith.

5. Adished wheel comprisingarim and four similiar spokes, the inner endofe'ach spoke being transversely slotted to provide a plurality of similar tenons lying in planes parallel to the plane of the rim and each of a thickness equal to the depth of the adjacent slot, the spokes being interengaged to form a hub with the ends of the tenons of opposite spokes substantially meeting at the center of the slots of the other spokes.

6. A dished wheel comprising a rim and four'similar spokes, the inner end of each spoke being transversely slotted to provide a plurality of similar tenons lying in planes parallel to the plane of the rimand each of 9 a thickness equal to the depth of the adjacent slot, the spokes being interengaged to form a hub with the ends of the tenons of opposite spokes substantially meeting at the center of the slots of the other spokes, together with a reinforcing bushing secured in said hub and interlocked with the spokes.

7. A fabricated wheel comprising a rim, spokes and a reinforcing bushing, the spokes being interfitted with and molded to the rim to form a secure joint therewith and being interengaged and molded together and about .the. bushing to form a rigidhub structure.

'8. A. fabricated wheel comprising a rim, and spokes of non-metallic material and a reinforcing bushing, the assembled rim and spokes being compressed to substantially one half their original volume and molded together and about the bushing to form a strong, dense and rigid wheel.

9. A fabricated Wheel comprising a sectional wooden blank and a hub reinforcing bushing, the several blank sections being coated with a phenolic condensation product and inolded under heat and pressure to substantially condense the blankand mold the same about thebushing and to cure the phenolic condensation product.

10. A molded wheel formed of spoke and rim sections of Wood separately coated with a phenolic condensation product and assembled in interlocking relation, the inner ends of the spoke sections being transversely slotted to provide a plurality of tenons in planes parallel to the plane of the rim and mold the wheel and to cause the hub to inter:

lock with the bushing.

12. The method of forming a fabricated wooden wheel which comprises assembling the wooden spokes and rim sections wit-h a metal bushing at the center thereof and molding the same under heat and pressure to form the wheel. I

13. The method of forming a fabricated Wheel of Wooden rim sections, wooden spoke sections and a metallic bushing which comprises coating the several sections with an adhesive, assembling the sections with the spoke sections projecting into recesses in the rim sections and with the spokes interlocking with each other and surrounding the metal bushing and compressing the whole to mold the rim and spoke sections together and the hub portion about the bushing and to harden the adhesive.

14. A-s-pider for a wheel comprising a plurality of spokes enlarged at their inner ends and transversely slotted to form a plurality of tenons lying in parallel planes, said tenons interengaging to form a hub, and a metal bushing interlocked in the hub so formed.

15. A spider for, a wheel comprising four spokes enlarged at their inner ends and transversely slotted in parallel planes to form a plurality of parallel tenons at the inner end of each spoke, the spokes being assembled with the tenons of alternate spokes inserted in and substantially meeting in the slots of the intermediate spokes to form a hub structure.

16. A spider comprising four similar spokes, the inner end of each spoke beingenlarged and transversely slotted to provide a plurality of similar tenons lying in parallel planes and each of a thickness equal to the depth of the adjacent slot, the'spokes being interengaged to form a hub with the ends of the tenons of opposite spokes substantially meeting at the center of the slots of the other spokes.

17. A. spider for a dished wheel comprising four similar spokes, the inner end of each spoke being transversely slotted in parallel planes lying at an angle to the length of the spoke to provide a plurality of similar parallel tenons each of a thickness equal to the depth of the adjacent slot, the spokes being interengaged to form a hub with the ends of the tenons of opposite spokes substantially meeting at the center of the slots of the other spokes, together with a reinforcing? bushing secured in said hub and interlocks with the spokes.

18. A molded spider formed of spoke sections of wood'separately coated with a phenolic condensation product and assembled in interlocking-relation, the inner ends of the spoke sections being transversely slotted to provide a plurality of parallel tenons, the whole being compressed and reshaped under heat and pressure to form a spider and to cure the phenolic condensation product.

19. A fabricated wooden spider consisting of spokes connected at their inner ends by mortise and tenon joints to form aihub together with a bushing within said hub, the

whole being compressed under heat and pres-- and'a metallic bushing which comprises coating the several spokes with an adhesive, assembling the spokes with their inner ends interlocking with each other, and surrounding a metal bushing, and compressing the whole to mold the spoke sections together and about the bushing.

22. A fabricated wheel comprising as separate elements a rim, spokes and a reinforcing bushing, the separate spokes being molded to the rim to form rigid joints therewith and being molded together and about the bushin to form a rigid hub structure.

23. fabricated wheel comprising a fibrous rim, fibrous spokes and a reinforcing bushing, the assembledvrim and spokes being compressed to compact the fibrous material thereof to substantially one-half its original volume and being molded together and about the bushing to form a strong dense and rigid wheel.

24. A spider for a wheel comprising a plurality of spokes overlapped at their inner end edge and transversely slotted to form on each a pluralityof tenons lying in parallel planes, said tenons interengaging'to form a hub.

25. A four spoke wheel having the four spokes interlocked by mortise and tenon joints and compressed to materially reduce their thickness to form a hub.

26. A Wheel comprising spokes having horizontal interengaging mortises and tenons compressed together in a vertical direction to materially and permanently reduce the thickness -to form a rigid hub.

27 The method of making a wheel which comprises fitting together the inner ends of the spokes by horizontal mortises and tenons and compactin the joints so formed by vertical pressure, or materially and permanentlly 1peducing their thickness to form a rigid 28. A fabricated wheel comprising a rim, spokes and a reinforcing bushing, the assembled rim and spokes being compressed and molded together and about the bushing to form a strong, dense and rigid Wheel.

29. A steering wheel comprising a rim and inter-fitting tongued and grooved spokes, the grooved portions of each spoke being arranged at substantially right angles to and extending over substantially half of the tongued portions ofthe mating spokes.

30. A steering wheel comprising a rim and two pairs of aligned spokes arranged at substantially right angles to each other, said spokes being provided with tongues and grooves across their'inner ends, the sides of the tongues on each spoke abutting the groove bottoms of adjacent spokes along lines disposed substantially at right angles to the length of the spokes.

81. A steering wheel comprising a rim and two pairs of tongued and grooved spokes interfitting at their inner ends to form hubs, the inner ends of the spokes of one pair having the inner ends of their tongues substantially abutting within the grooves of the other pair.

32. The method of forming a bushed wheel hub which comprises inserting the wheel between molds with a bushing extended part way through a bore in the hub and a retractile pin abutting the bushing and completing the filling of the bore, and compressing the wheel by the dies to reduce its thickness until the bushing above extends substantially 40 {)hrough and. is fixedly secured within the ore.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 15th day of February, 1924. GRANT E. SMITH. 

